MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow In Spain For Grand Prix

By Cycle News Staff | 5/1/2014 8:35 AM

Photography by Gold & Goose
Ducati’s Cal Crutchlow is at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in Spain, the Brit hoping to be fit enough to perform well in this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix after suffering a hand injury in his crash at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas nearly three weeks ago.

“My hand is getting better every day, but I still have some pain and it’s definitely going to be difficult to ride this weekend,” Crutchlow said today in a Ducati team release. “I’ll try and see how it is from Friday and do the best job I can. Jerez is surely one of the toughest circuits to come back and ride at after my crash. It’s a really great track, and the crowd are great as well, but really I’m just excited about joining up with the team again and getting back on the bike.”

Crutchlow missed last weekend’s Argentine Grand Prix and was replaced by test rider Michele Pirro, the Italian finishingand the Italian will ride again this weekend in Jerez on the Ducati test team.

“For me Argentina was the first race this year and it was a very difficult one, because I was never able to get the right feeling with the bike,” Pirro said. “As for Jerez, I can say that it’s not one of my favorites but at least I know it well because I’ve done many races and a lot of testing there. I think with my Test Team bike I’ll manage to do a better race and put the disappointing Argentina result behind me.”

Crutchlow added in today’s pre-race press conference that he wouldn’t race if he couldn’t brake properly and was a danger to the other riders.